Michael took in a deep breath as he knocked on the door of Calum's apartment and froze when he heard footsteps on the other side of the wooden door. The door opened and Michael sheepishly pulled at the sleeves of a shirt he had borrowed from Luke.
"Hey," Calum smiled, ushering Michael inside. Michael breathed in the familiar scent of the apartment; cinnamon and smoke. The boy leaned in to press a kiss to his lips but Michael turned his face so his lips met his cheeks.
Calum furrowed his eyebrows; Michael just rejected a kiss.
"Hi," Michael said quietly, nervously biting his lip. "I -- I came to get my things," Michael whispered, watching as Calum's smile dropped and turned into a frown.
"W-- what? Why?" Calum stuttered, flinching back. "I just -- I'm moving in with Luke. His husband left so he's alone and he can't really be alone. He needs someone to take care of him."
Calum scoffed and bit down on his lip to reduce a sob from escaping him. "Are -- are you going to come visit?"
Michael shrugged, "It's a job I have to work 24/7 Cal, I can't just leave him, especially after what happened."
"What about college?" Calum furrowed his eyebrows. "I dropped out a few weeks ago," Michael responded, running his nails against his bottom lip, a nervous habit coming back.
"But you were in your last year, you were going to graduate. What happened to wanting to become a musician?"
"I like what I'm doing, Cal. I'm taking responsibility over someone else's life and quite frankly, he didn't let me fuck this up and because of that I'm staying with him and dropping out," he paused. "No one has ever stopped me from fucking up the good in my life and I'm so so thankful he didn't give up on me."
"Michael please --"
"I'm just here to pick up my things okay?" Michael mumbled before making his way into Calum's room and taking out his clothes from drawers and his closet and putting them into a bag he had hanging on his shoulder.
He sniffled lightly when he heard Calum hit the wall in the living room and continued gathering his things until he knew he had gotten everything. He picked up his guitar and rushed out of Calum's room. "Bye," he whispered, holding gazes with Calum for a few seconds before rushing down the stairs and let out a sob when he made it to his truck.
He opened the door and looked at the window of Calum's apartment. Taking one last look at the weird neon curtains he drove off back to Luke's house with teary eyes.
>>>>>>>
Michael sighed as he hung the last of his clothes in his new closet, Luke watching him as he sat on his bed with a neutral expression on his face.
He was sort of happy Michael was moving in because now he wouldn't be home alone whenever his time with Luke would be over. He smiled when he saw Michael looking back at him, his green eyes gloomy while his lips told the world otherwise.
Luke scanned the boy's body, looking at the tattoos scattering his arms and wondered what they all meant. From the small words on his left arm to the anchor on his hand. The ink stood out from his pale skin, almost begging to receive any attention from pondering eyes.
"Wanna go for a swim in the pool?" Michael broke the held silence. Luke nodded happily and stood up from Michael's bed. He went to his room while Michael changed into something he could get wet in. By the time Michael had finished changing Luke had barely sat down on his bed.
"There's a pair of swimming trunks in the last drawer I think," Luke said as he yanked off his shirt and tossed it to the side. Michael nodded and pulled out a pair of black trunks from the drawer and got down on his knees to help Luke out of his pants. Luke bit down his lip at the sight and Michael looked up at him through his eyelashes.
His heart stopped at the way Luke looked at him but he shrugged it off and pulled off the boys pants, replacing them with the swim trunks.
"You seem upset," Luke frowned when he noticed the distant expression on Michael's face. "I'm fine," Michael smiled forcefully leading the duo to the stairs then helped Luke go down them.
The warmth of Michael's small hands on Luke's back made him shiver as they hit the last step of the stairs. Michael cheerfully made his way towards the backyard with Luke and smiled when he saw the pool.
"I can't exactly swim," Luke pointed out. "That's fine, I'll stay in the shallow side with you." Luke smiled lightly and winced when his feet touched the cold water. Michael slowly climbed down the steps with Luke clutching onto his shirt in desperate attempt to not be let go even though he knew Michael wouldn't drop him.
"Fuck fuck, it's cold," Michael yelped, Luke giggling into his chest as they
completely stepped into the pool. The pair made their way a bit deeper into the pool, faces merely inches away from each other. Luke playfully bumped their foreheads together and smiled as a rush of butterflies -- no, not even butterflies, a whole fucking zoo seemed to rush through his stomach when Michael giggled.
They both knew they felt something for each other, they just didn't know how to make a move. Michael felt weird for crushing on his boss and Luke felt like having feelings for someone right after splitting with his husband was wrong. But they both liked the way their hearts fluttered when around each other.
Michael clung on to the sides of the pool, Luke pressed against the actual wall of the pool. "Hold your breath," Michael chirped, mood somehow becoming even more cheery. Luke did as told and relaxed slightly at the feeling of water surrounding his body.
The two rose to the surface, Michael clutching Luke gently and met gazes with Luke's soft blue eyes. He's noticed that whenever the blonde is happy his eyes are as bright and dreamy as clear water, but when he's upset they grow a light shade of grey.
Michael sighed happily before moving around in the water, Luke in his arms. "Stop making me feel fuzzy," Michael mumbled bashfully, cheeks going a dark pink.
Luke smiled a big smile; he finally feels cared for after ages of feeling useless.
He's glad he hired Michael.
>>>>>>>
"You know, I've been meaning to ask you something," Michael said as he unplugged his blow drier and peeked out his head from the bathroom that was across from Luke's room.
"What is it?" Luke asked, looking away from his tv to meet gazes with Michael.
Michael walked into Luke's room and plopped onto his bed, his body sinking into the bed. "Holy shit, is this a waterbed?!" Luke nodded and lifted up the sheets to reveal the actual waterbed. Michael gaped before calming himself down.
"Anyways, I perform at this bar called Old Paul's whenever I get the chance to and I was wondering if you wanted to go see me perform?" Michael asked, voice growing quieter and quieter as he sunk in on himself. Because now he regrets telling Luke that and now Luke's going to want to watch him perform.
He nearly smacked his forehead when Luke nodded excitedly. "I didn't know you sing," Luke raised an eyebrow.
"Never came up in conversation I guess," Michael shrugged, a blush coating his face when Luke began talking about when he'd be able to see him perform and asking Michael if he could sing for him. Of course Michael said no though, being the shy little kitten he is.
-
iT'S MOVING TOO FAST IKIK BUT I MEAN I MEAN THERE'S SMUT NEXT CHAPTER (again oops) IF THAT HELPS???
i got a guitar on Saturday and I'm so fucking happy god bless
don't forget to smile ya little shits ily all :--)
~ xoxo ~
Linda
p.s. I finished writing the epilogue and y'all are probably gonna hate me
YOU ARE READING
Live // Muke //
Fanfiction"I learned to live while I was dying" Where 25 year old Luke Hemmings, an ALS victim, hires Michael, an unknown musician, to be his new caretaker. Though Luke is married he isn't exactly happy. Michael believes Luke must take risks to be happy. But...
